London Calling with Champaign Charlie – Dateline: 11/11/08

‘My Darling Clemmie' & RUE MAGIQUE

 

With a string of awards and hit plays behind him Hugh Whitmore author of the Emmy winning TV films like  CONCEALED ENEMIES (Emmy Award for Best Miniseries); THE FINAL DAYS (dramatisation of the Bob Woodward/Carl Bernstein book, movie credits like 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD (starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins); UTZ, (an adaptation of Bruce Chatwin's novel, which won 3 prizes at the 1992 Berlin Film Festival) and Franco Zeffirelli's JANE EYRE (starring William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg) and plays like STEVIE (starring Glenda Jackson); PACK OF LIES (starring Judi Dench); BREAKING THE CODE (starring Derek Jacobi) and THE BEST OF FRIENDS (starring John Gielgud, Rosemary Harrris)  he wanted to do ‘a more intimate piece' with his latest hit ‘My Darling Clemmie'.

‘It's based on the story of the beautiful and sometimes formidable Clementine Hozier, the wife of Winston Churchill.' He told me while preparing for mini new TV film over tea between performance breaks of the show in London.

‘I had been asked to write a big HBO / BBC series on Churchill which I at first didn't want to do as it's such a vast topic. But once I got involved it was totally fascinated'. He added

That work emerged as the film ‘The Gathering Storm' with Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave, about Churchill in the 1930's and won an Emmy, the Writers' Guild of America Award, and the Broadcasting Press Guild Award for the best television drama of 2002. ‘During my research I came across huge amounts about her and how influential she was in his life. Clemmie like my wife Rohan who plays her is all tall, english rose looking and willowy. Churchill was like Hugh felf for his wife on first seeing her - completely smitten. There were ‘problems' unlike the situation for Hugh.

 ‘Churchill was from aristocracy but she was illegitimate. Despite being hopelessly in love she kept refusing to marry him. He said very famously that he owed everything to her and that getting her to propose to her was the hardest thing he's ever done' he added jokingly.

This one woman show has Rohan addressing the audience and revealing the story of her life behind the history of the great man and intertwined in this personal drama are the unfolding events of the 2^nd world war.

‘I wanted to write another Rohan. She is the great niece of Beatrix Potter and we'd done a one woman play about that. It was a superb hit. That intimacy is really hard to carry but producers and audiences loved it and the show ‘The Tale of Beatrix Potter' went onto the US for a tour and of course and extensive UK run' he fondly remembers. ‘I would just love to go back with a show in the US like THIS and I hope what I am working on now will also travel over' he confided.

As for Rohan she was began her career in the original cast of the legendary musical Hair and Jean-Louis Barrault's Rabelais.  She has also been seen as Antigone in Oedipus at Colonnus (Manchester Royal Exchange) and in Les Liaisons Dangereuses (RSC). Her film appearances include Derek Jarman's War Requiem and David Hare's Strapless.  She has given poetry and music recitals in London and at Arts Festivals nationwide. She has performed as narrator with leading American symphony orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and The Boston Symphony at Carnegie Hall. 
 
She has achieved her most notable success with her one-woman shows and it for this that both Broadway and LA and UK audiences love to see her as much as with the large cast plays she is in.

During an extensive tour of The Testament of Youth (based on Vera Brittain's celebrated book) she appeared at The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, and at the Brighton and Edinburgh Festivals, she was thrilled to win the 'Scotsman' drama award. Her solo performance of Rose Macaulay's ‘The Towers of Trebizond' also was part of the official Edinburgh Festival and was selected as Critics' Choice "Pick of the Performances" by the Sunday Times.

 

At the moment though Hugh is busy with another Broadway favourite - playwright Simon Grey

His current work included ‘The Last Cigarette'. ‘It's a play that I wrote with Simon and it's based on his dairies as the cancer he had was eating him up.' Grey died earlier this year of lung cancer and simply couldn't stop smoking as he penned hits like ‘Hidden Laughter' and ‘Close of Play'.

Felicity Kendal, the award-winning actress, is on record as being in ‘early talks' regarding the last play penned by the late Simon Gray where she will be one of three actors portraying him.

It's very much in the discussion stage with the director Richard Eyre and possible producer Howard Panter.

The celebrated playwright Simon Gray, who died in early August, adapted his acclaimed, sometimes hilarious and sometimes sad ‘Smoking Diaries' series with Hugh - his best friend.

Hugh then went onto write initial quick draft last Christmas, and then worked with Gray for several weeks. The play will be called ‘The Last Cigarette', also the title of the last of Gray's published diaries.

 

‘The Last Cigarette' features three characters, one woman and two men, all called Simon Gray and they give voice to Gray's memories, anecdotes, recollections and slices of life  -  many of them involving well know theatre people like Harold Pinter and Antonia Fraser.

One scene has one of the Simons attacking one of the other Simons. ‘Simon was a friend' he told me. ‘He just wouldn't stop smoking so asked me to write up his diaries into a ply. I told him I couldn't possibly do this but he was insistent. Anyway I not only share a credit but physically worked close to him to get his humour right. It should be good'

 

As we spoke I was aware the phone was buzzing away and glancing at the screen I could see it was West End favourite Melanie LaBarrie with a reply to my text asking about her latest musical RUE MAGIQUE.A mainstay of the UK's biggest soap EASTENDERS Melanie's presence in new shows seems to uncannily help them into the top spot. Shows like MARY POPPPINS, DADDY COOOL and THE SUNSHINE boys have all turned into hits with much press and public attention focused on her singing and dancing skills. The world premiere of her new show ‘RUE MAGIQUE' grew out of a musical originally conceived by composer and lyricist Brett Kahr as a short musical piece which was inspired by the young people of a children's charity, the show was performed in the presence of the Prince of Wales in 1999. It has subsequently been extensively developed into a full length two-act musical by Brett Kahr in collaboration with Lisa Forrell, who has also written the book and directs the show.  Based on true stories, "RUE MAGIQUE" explores the complex relationship between ‘Desdemona', a South London prostitute, and her thirteen year-old daughter ‘Sugar'.  It's not light and fluffy stuff but a show like Melanie - full of heart.

This rite of passage story portrays a world that exists beneath the radar of police and social services, where people struggle to survive by any means possible.  ... 

We follow her and the cast as they discover hope and redemption, when a mother forces her own daughter into prostitution.

Once I pressed answer on the text she was into full swing with her replies.

In mid rehearsals she couldn't speak but as probably the fastest tester in the West End she was keen to reply.

Melanie
Hi Charlie - great to get your text. In reply to your question I first got the script when I was auditioning for the role, which would have been a few months ago.

Champaign Charlie
What struck you as different about the show?

Melanie
It was that the story was real, that Brett (our composer) met these children, and they exist in our society, without a voice. I wanted to give them my voice.

Champaign Charlie
Do you think any sort of subject can be covered in a musical?

Melanie
I think it can.Why not use the musical genre to highlight the plight of a disenfranchised or disadvantaged group in our society? The issues that we are dealing with are heartbreaking.

Charlie
What do you mean?

Melanie
Well, song, to me, is the highest form of expressing our deepest, innermost passions and pains. What better way to emote the heartfelt sentiments of our story?

Champaign Charlie
What's your pre show routine - things you do to get ready before you go on?

Melanie
I don't really have a preshow routine. I'm always worried about just making sure that I'm wearing all of what I'm supposed to be wearing when I get on stage.

Champaign Charlie
Are you at all superstitious?

Melanie
No way! I am not. I'm a great believer in controlling the things that I can, and accepting the things that I can't control.

Champaign Charlie
How do you cope with pre show nerves and wind down after a performance

Melanie
I talk...a lot!!

Champaign Charlie
I know but we love you for it!

Melanie
I also laugh and try to make others laugh as well. Post show...well let's just say, it's a wonderful thing working in a theatre!

Champaign Charlie
Have you played in the US?

Melanie
Sure! I have played the US but as a singer, not in theatre. I would love to one day; it's a big dream of mine.

Champaign Charlie
Future plans - are you working on other shows at the moment

Melanie
I do an Irving Berlin review called Let's Face the Music and Dance at the Salisbury Playhouse right after Rue Magique.Anyway must go - tell everyone at Broadway World i'll see them soon Bye xxx

And with that she was off and so was i to watch how rehearsals are going on about one of the most lavish and eagerly awated shows of the year - and i don't mean the staging of Ben Hur as a live musical. That's happening too but much nearer on the radar is the opening of wartime themed musical 'Imagine This!' with a who's who of West End talent and stars. More about this soon.Bye!!